My Sunday Skl

THE WORD: John 15:4

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

In John 15, Jesus vividly describes the fate of those who fail to abide in Him – a picture of branches being cast away, withering, and ultimately being burnt. But what does it mean for us, as believers, today? Are we at risk of losing our salvation if we don’t produce fruit? Well, thankfully, Jesus assures us of our eternal security in earlier passages, such as John 3:16, John 4:14, John 6:39, and John 10:28. But He does distinguish between those who bear fruit and those who do not. The branches that bear fruit represent those who genuinely abide in Him and exhibit faith through their actions.

But what about those who don’t bear fruit? They can be compared to Judas, who outwardly followed Jesus but ultimately betrayed Him. His example illustrates that not everyone who appears faithful truly abides in Christ. Similarly, we may encounter people who seem genuine in their faith but later drift away. How do we discern true believers from those who merely profess faith? John provides a test in 1 John 2:19, emphasising that true followers of Christ remain steadfast.

So, I ask you: are you bearing fruit in your life? Are you remaining in Christ, allowing His life to flow through you? Or are you like a branch that’s withering away, producing nothing? Take a moment to examine your life and see if you are producing fruit that glorifies God.